Circuit closer for automobile signaling devices



March 26, 1929. F, RA 1,707,139

CIRCUIT CLOSER FOR AUTOMOBILE SIGNALING DEVICES Filed Feb. 5, 1925 M/[e'amF 1 122616 lid iii

Patented Mar. 26, 1929..

STATE- PATENr WILLIA n. 3MB, or run roan, r. Y.

duplication filed February 5, was.

This invention relates to automobile sig; naling devices, and the primar obyect or the same is to automatically ilurninate a si 'naling means at the rear of an automobi e by actuation of the steering wheel to positively indicate to a driver oi another machine in rear of the automobile equipped with the improved signaling device their.

tention to turn to the right or left during travel of the machine in a straight direction.

A further object of the invention is to provide an improved automobile signaling de- 1 vice of a novel and automatic character which may be readily applied to automobiles now in use or during factory construction thereof, and also applicable to steering wheels and columns of difierent sizes and designs with the same efiectiveness in operation.

The present invention is an improvement on thatv disclosed by my pending application Serial No. 710,602, filed May 2, 1924, and the most essential object of the resent improvement is to reduce the, num er of parts relatively to the device embodied in myaforesaid pending application.

With the foregoing and other objects and advantages in view, the invention consists in the preferred construction and arrangement of the several arts which will be more fully hereina ter described and claimed. 1 Q

In the drawing:

Fi lis a side elevation of a steering whee of an automobile and a portion of the post or column with which the said wheel is associated, showing the improved signal-controlling means applied thereto.

Fig. 2 is a top plan view of the steerin post, the steering wheel being detache therefrom and having the, improved signal-- controlling means applied thereto, said view also showing in diagram the electric circuits, battery, switch means and rear signal device, which in the present instance comprises oppositely projecting arrows and a central tall-light adapted to be illuminated.

Fig. 3 isa top plan view on an enlarged scale of the main features of the improved signaling means, parts thereof being shown in dotted lines. i a

Fig. 4 is a transverse vertical section through one of the switch elements of the improved signal means and showing in side elevation a part of the attaching means.

fierial its. 7.0%.

Figs. 5 and 6 are detail views of parts of the improved signal means. v

Attached to the steering post or column 6 of an automobile or similar vehicle are two primary switch sections or members generally designated by 7 and 8. Each section or member comprises a metallic cup or casing 9, which is open at the, top and closed by a flanged cover or cap 10, a slot 11 bein formed between the said cover or cap an the cup or casing. Within each cup 'or casing is a block or disk 12 of suitable insulating material, which is secured in place by fastenings 13,- and o enings 15 and 16 are formed through the bottom 14 of each cup or casing. Also extending from the bottom 14 of each cup or casing is an attaching arm 17. the two arms being so shaped as to embrace the upper and lower portions of a lug or projection 18 of an adjustable clamping band 19, which is applied to the steering column 6, as shown by Fig. 1, the inner extremities of the arm 17 being held in connection with the lug or projection 18 by a mg band 19, as clearly shown by Fig. 1,

has projected extremities 21 through which extends a clamping bolt 22, and when the band 19 is applied to the column or it may be securelyfixed against accidental movement by tightening the said clamping bolt 22, thus setting up a tight frictional engagement of the said band with the column or post. Within the cup or casing 9 of each section or member and located within the insulating block or disk 12 is an electrical contact, generally designated by 23,

and comprising a cup 24 having a depending "shank 25 seated in a suitable opening-26 in the insulation, the shank 25 projecting through the opening 15 of the cup or casing. In the cup 24 an anti-frictional ball 27 is mounted and held in place by an annular keeper 28 which has a central opening 29 through which a portion of the ball is exposed for contact with a switch lever 30, pivotally held by a pin 31, alsoextending through an opening 32 in the insulating block or disk 12 and through the opening 16 in the bottom 14 6f the cup or casing 9.

The switch lever 30 extends through the slot 11 and is of such length as to be readily engaged for operation bymeans which will. be hereinafter more fully explained. The movement of the switch lever 80 is limited in opposite directions by upwardly projectpost 6.,

upper extremities by the cover or cap This cover or cup is fixed in place by suitable tastenings, which may he fastenlugs 13 or other independent similar -hastening" devices. To the shank 25 and the lower terminal of the pin 31 of each member or section 'i'and 8 electrical conducting wires 33 and 34 are respectively connected and form a part of an electrical signaling circuit, which will also he hereinafter more fully explained. 7

Secured on the hub in oi? the steering wheel 5 is a clamping band 35, in all respects-simila: to the clamping hand 19 and shown in plan view by'l ig. 35 has outwardly projecting terminals 36 engaged by u clamping holt and nut 3? for securely holding the said hand in frictional engagement with the huh 5 Projecting outwardly from the hand at a point opposite clamping bolt and nut 37 is an arm 38 formed with a slot 39 in which is mounted a resilient contact 44). a suitable distance and is provided with a vertical slot4l in the upper portion thereof,

whereby the said contact may be longitudinally adjusted to vary the dependence thereof from the free end of the arm 88. The yielding contact 40, which acts as a Wiper, is adjustably held in the slot 39 of the arm 38' by a clamping screw or analogous device 42 which extends transversely through the slotted end of the arm 38 and through the slot 410i the contact 40, the said screw being positively tightened after the adjustment of this contact has been made. The length of the arm 38 and the dependence of the yielding contact are such that the said contact may engage the *free extremities of the switch levers 30 of' with and throw them off o'r*over from the contact balls 27 in accordance with the rotation of the steering wheel 5 in opposite directions in turning to either the rightor left and thus close'and open the electric circuits through said levers 'an d balls.,

The insulating block or disk 12 in each switch section or member will be of a suitable character but preferably of phenol con densation product, although insulating fibrous material may be used if desired;

The extremities or terminals of the shanks 25 and pins 31', which project throu h the casingsare formed as bmdlng posts or the wires or electrical conductors 33 and 34, respectively, of the si aling circuit. The said circuit also in udes a. battery 13, 9. switch S and the signaling'box or enclosure This clamping band i This contact depends ,with, all of the lenses being carried by side 50 of the box or signaling enclosure which is exposed to view. The wire 3'" from the shank 25 of the one switch section member is connected to the light 46 and the wire 33 from the shanlr 25 or the other switch section or member is connected to t opposite light 45. The wires ,roin pins or postsfil out the switch levers 3a a s jointly connected by a wire 34, to one si s of the battery B, the opposite side of said battery being connected by wire 34' to the metallic casing of the signaling enclosure 43. The switch S which may the motor switch, has the points a and s disposed in opposite relation and adapted to be engaged hy a suitable switch lever, not shown, so that the signaling means may be placed in circuit or disconnected as desired. it will. be understood that when the switches are open the electric circuit will be broken and the lights and 46 as well as the tail-light 44 will remain extinguished, as for instance during daylight. At night the switch S will be closed and the battery B thrown into circuit so as to effect an illumination of the lamps 44, 45 and 46. The switch S will be located on the instrument board of the machine, or elsewhere, within easy reaching distance of the driver or operator. It is proposed to use any suitable structure in the casing or enclosure 43 to divide the several lights 44, 45 and 46, and this division may. be similar to the divisional structure disclosed by my, aforesaid pending applica tion. 7

. The operation of the improved signaling device is very simple, and when the steering wheel 5 is turned in o posite directions, either one or the other-o? the switch levers 30 will be engaged by the depending yielding contact or wiper 40and rocked to e either one of the contact balls 27, the operated switch lever30 being held against movement beyond a predetermined distance by the stop 32jand permitting the yielding contact or wiper 40 to pass over the projecting end of the switch lever 30 en so that when the steering wheel is brought into normal position to-guide the machine or automobile in a. straight direction, the said yielding contact or' wiper 40 will again ongage and rock the switch lever in-the opposite direction to restore it to normal positiofi, that is to say, to move it out of engagement with the contact ball with which it may have been in contact. This operation ensues regularly with regard to both switch levers 30, and by this means the direction of movement of an automobile or machine equipped with the improved signaling means may be very clearly indicated, particularly with relation to the drivers of machines in rear thereof, with material advantage in steering operations.

- The instrument board of the machine will also be provided with an indicator 51, corresponding in construction to, but of smaller dimensions than, the rear signaling device comprising the enclosure 43, to inform a driver or operator whether or not the lights in rear of the car are working at all times.

This indicator will be connected by wires 51 and 51", respectively, to the casing or enclosure 43 of therearsignaling device and to the wire 33 of the switch section or member 7, the similar wire 33 from the opposite section or member 8 being also connected to the indicator. The Wire 51 is attached to one side of the battery B by connection with the Wire 34*, as clearly shown by Fig. 2. It will be seen that the wires 51 forming continuations of the wire 33 from the switch sections or members 7 and 8 are connected to the lamps in the indicator 51, the said indicator having the same arrangement of lamps and tail light asthe rear larger signaling device. The clamping band 19 is also provided with a ring or eye 19*, throngh which the wires 3a and 34* are assed to bring the said wires in close relation to the post or column 6, to thereby prevent the wires from becoming loose relatively to the post or column.

It will be understood that changes in the proportions and minor details of construction may be adopted without in the least departing from the spirit or leatures of the invention.

What is claimed as new is:

A single controlling switch means ap licable to the steering Wheel and column 0 an automobile, cpmprising a clam for attachment to the steering column 0 an automobile, opposing independently operable switch devices carried by and divergently projecting from said clamp, each of said switch devices comprising separated outer contact and inner stop means insulated one from another and an outwardly projecting lever, the levers of the switch devices being independently and alternately operable to engage and disengage the contact and stop devices, and a single switch operating means adapted to be secured to and to extend radially of the axis of rotation of the steering wheel and being normally free of the levers, said operating means having a depending adjustable spring device arranged at right angles to the switch levers and-adapted, when said steering wheel is turned in either direction, to first engage and move one of the said levers into engagement with its associated contact and then pass over the lever and thereby close such switch in accordance with the direction in which the steering wheel is turned and, when the steering wheel is turned in the opposite direction, to first reset the switch lever in open position and then pass back over said lever, the depending spring device of the switch 0 erating means being resilient enough to easily pass over each lever extremity Without interfering with the operation of the steering wheel.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand.

WILLIAM F. RAAB. 

